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Students with disabilities in mainstream schools

9. How can I best utilise education support staff? 

The teacher has overall responsibility for the student’s educational program, which may be implemented with assistance from education support staff.

Education support staff work under the direction of the teacher and may perform a variety of duties, including:

• Support with class work, including literacy, maths, art and sport
• Assistance with personal care
• Supervision if there are safety concerns
• Attending therapy sessions with the student so that therapy can be applied in the classroom if appropriate. This might include learning how to use aids or equipment, or to support speech therapy goals and strategies.
• Preparation of teaching materials

Education support staff can work with children individually or in a small group. Under the direction of the teacher, education support staff might spend some time working with the student with a disability and other time supervising students while the teacher works with the student with a disability.

Increasing independence is a goal for all students. As a student with a disability progresses with a particular task, consider whether the assistance can be decreased.

When working with education support staff, make sure they are included in the educational team. Specify clear roles, responsibilities and daily tasks. Utilise their strengths and work to develop and maintain good communication.

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